Safety device for cigar machines



Nov. 9, 1943. c. F. RANDOLPH SAFETY DEVICE FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed May 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l TTORNEY C LIFFO RD F. RANDOLPH Nov. 9, 1943.

c. RANDOLPH SAFETY DEVICE FOR CIGAR MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1941 INVENTOR CLIFFORD F. RANDOLPH W A TORNEY Patented Nov. 9, 1943 FFICE SAFETY nnvron FOR CIGAR- MACHINES I Clifford F...Randolph, Brooklyn, N.'Y., assignorto International Cigar Machinery 00., a corporationof New Jersey 1 Application my 10,1941, Si n No. 392,839

7 i 15 Claims. (01. 131-21) This invention relates to an improved safety 1 device for use with potentially dangerous transfer members such as the cutting rollers traveling over the binder and wrapper dies-of a cigar machine;

In a cigar machine, the cutting rollers ar'e varranged to move acrossabinder or wrapper cutting die at given moments in the cycle of the machine.- Should an operator for'some reason have her hands in the p'ath'of the cutting rollers,

there is danger that she maybe injured byithe advancing rollers. There is 'also the possibility that an operator might instinctively place her hands beyond the cutting rollers {into the machine to rectify some. improper functioning thereof, thus exposing herself to injury from thelmoving partsof themachine i s y The safety. devices heretofore providedwere either of such a nature: as to be expensive; to

install, such as a photoelectric -unit,,or were en-' tirely'mechanical in operation :so as tozrender' a greater amount of resistance necessary before the same would operate to bring the dangerous moving element to a'stop:- r 2 The present invention is an improvement over Another object is to provide asafety device which will not only protect. anoperatonfrom injury by the cutting rollers but also from injury where the operator has placed henhands beyond the immediate sphere of operation of the'cutting rollers.

A further object is to provide asafety device which will not require regular replacement such as the tube or bulbof a photoelectric unit..

Another object is toprovide a safety device which can be used with'a wide variety'of' machines which have potentially, dangerousparts and which will render these parts harmless whenever a foreign member actuates the safety device. A further object isto provide an-auto'matic safety device whichwill maintain a inachine in an incapacitated state until restartedmanually by the operator. 3

It is also anobject to provide an 'iniproved and simplifiedsafety device: which will stop the entire machine whenever the safetyv device is actuated by an obstruction whichmight cause injury or damage.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses; i-

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,-lik'e characters of refer-- ence have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views whichmake up the drawingain which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing mydevice as applied to the wrapper' cutter rollers of a cigar machine; 1

Fig. 2 is 'a' side elevational view taken online 2--2 of Fig. 1 with the cutting roller mechanism omitted; and t i 3 w Fig. 3 is an elevational'view showing the drive mechanism for thewrapper cutter and the Wiring from the micro switch to the magnetic clutch.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, which illustrate" a preferred embodiment of. my invention; reference number [0- designates the table top of a cigar machine; and "is a track guide for the wrapper cutter" carrier l4, in which are mounted the cutter rollers 16. A turret T carries the knives-l5 on which the wrapper leaf is cut by the rollers It, as they pass over the leaf.

My device functions to prevent an'acoident should the operator inadvertently get in the way of theadvancing cutter carrier l4 and rollers it.

Two arms l8 and 20 are pivotally mounted on pins-22 and 24respectively in cutter carrier l4. Each arm 18 and 20 has 'twobr'anch arms 26, 28 and 30, 32 respectively. These branches are each provided with a pin so located that'when adjusted by-set screws 34 and 36, pins 38, 40, 42 and 44 will just'clear a wire 46whichis strung parallel to the path of travel" of the cutter carrier I4. After the set'screws'34 and 36 have been adjusted so that the pins 38,40, 42 and 44 just clear the wire'45,' they are' held in said'position' by lock nuts 35 and'tl. Heads 3| and-33 are provided on the upper portions of pins 38 and 42 to prevent the wire 46 from jumping olfsaidpins when being deflected thereby. The set screws 34 and 36 act against abutments 39 and 4| formed on the cutter carrier l4 and are held against said abutments by rn'eans'of tension spring 83 drawing the branch arms 28 and 32 toward eachothen -It will thus be seen (Figl 1) that a slight motion of arms'l'8 or 20, in the direction of the cutterrollers it. will cause the pins 38 and 40 or pins 42 and 45, as the case may be, to impinge on the wire 46 and produce a local distortion in the wire, thereby shortening the outstretched length of the wire. This shortening will cause the wire to operate a micro switch hereinafter described.

One end of the wire 46 is anchored to a stationary bracket 48 and the other end is attached to a lever arm 50" of lever 51], 53. The lever arm 50 is pivoted on a pin in a bracket 52 which is secured to the table top I0.

The shortening of the wire 46, as before described, will produce a movement of; lever: arm 50. An opposite arm 53 of said lever Will then move against the button 54' of a micro switch: MS, which is normally held open, to close the same; and the circuit leading to a magnetic clutch MC will energize the same to disengage the clutch, causing the machine to stop.. The

micro switch MS is of conventional snap action construction well understood those skilled in; the. art, and. for further construction: details; reference may be made to such patents as Mottlau 1,668,974 and McGall 1,960,020. The: diagrammatic. clutch shown herein may be of conventional construction; or may; be similar to that. shown and described in; H. EL. Wheelerscopending application Ser. No. 183,405; fi d.- Jan. 5,. 1938, and. is of suchv construction that. when the; ring 99 expands due. to theenlcrgizing Of the. solenoid; it causesthe clutch to: engage; and when the ring 99: is contracted due to. the deenergizing of the solenoid, it causes the clutch todisengage. to bring: the machine: to a stop;

This stoppage may be, brought about by the; operator accidentally coming in contact. with eithe'rof the arms. l8; and; .or' by coming in directccontact with. the: taut.,wi-re 43; protection is afforded the operator innthism'anner in\ that should: she inadvertently have pla ed her hands; in the. path otthe cutt n r l s l6 during their forward travel enduring their return. travel, her contact with arms is or 2-0 would bring the=machine to a halt before iniury could be: sustained. Should the operator have: placed herhands to the rear of the cutting rollers pe'rhapsto remedy the improper application of'. the cigar wrapper by the wrapper applying mechanism to a cigar bunch,. she will in all likelihood touch the Wire 46 and this will serve to bring; the: machine toan. automatic stop before she sustains-anyinjury'. Any for eign obstruction in the path ofthe cutting. rollers either during their forward or theirreturn travel will also bring the machine to a' stop before any vdamage can be done, in a manner similar to that just described.

The present invention is so constructed that once the machine has been automatically stopped. in the manner above described, it has to be manually restarted by the. operator and will not automatically commence functioning again after the obstruction has been removed. This restarting is accomplished by the operator push-- ing' the reset: button 58- of' the micro switch MS, which. will cause the: magnetic clutch M0 tobede-energized to cause the clutch to. re-engage the driving mechanism-.- A bolt 62 passing through suitableopenings formed in. the arm 53 and in the bracket 52 serves tohold-thewire 46 under proper tensioni It will be seen in the drawings that the-head end 61- of: said. bolt rests against the outside portion of lever arm 53 and tensions said. lever arm by means of. a spring 64 pushing" against the bracket 52 andv the ad Due.

justing nut 66. The adjusting nut 66 is so set that the head end 6| of the bolt 62 is in close contact with the button 54 of the micro switch MS so that a slight movement of said head 6| will cause the micro switch'MS to operate. A second adjustment of wire 46 is provided in the form of a bolt 60 acting in a manner similar to a key winding up a violin string. Once this adjusting device 61) has been properly set, it is locked in fixed position by the lock nut 49.

The drive of the cutter operating mechanism, as shown in Fig.3, is derived from the main drive. of. the. ci r m n A belt. pulley 10 attached to the shaft 12 of a m'oto'rM is connected by a belt 14 to a pulley T6 on a, sliafiifilli'i A worm on shaft 18 meshes with a worm wheel 82 secured on a shaft 84. Also attached. to; shaft 84 is a cam drum 86.

A cam. roller 83, mounted on one end of a cam lever'90, engages a cam groove 85 in drum 36.1. Cam: lever is; fixedly secured. to a shaft 92;: andz impartsoperatingmotion: theretol. A lever: 91% is also fixedly secured. to shaft: 92 to: receive operating; motion. therefrom; end: of lever Ml is; connected by. link- 96..to the wrapper cutter carrier [4,. which is. mounted for slidable: movement on tnaclc 1:25..

When the: motor M is: started and. the: micro switch M8 is in. circuit. open position, the

various mechanical parts. justdesoribed will function in progressive order. first. to advance. I

the; carrier M with' the cutting rollers. [6 over the turret Ttoi cut a. wrapper leaf placedthere i on operator; and then' torretractz-the cutter carrierv PAL When the foregoing action. is: taking place, thE. operaton' is protected against injury from the cutting. rollers by the: guard arms: t8 and: in: which: will causet the. machine to stop: if they engage: any: object during their: travel; objecnwene encountered: imthe patln ct I8- or 2'03 it would cause" the micro: switch to snap shut, as already described;- and with the circuit 90- closed, the magnet; in the: magnetic clutch MC would be energized, thereby releas ing the clutch. and causing the. cutter to cease operation. I

Although the construction and operation oi;

the magneticclu-tch MC 'is similar to oneused an'd describedi'n Wheelersco-pendi'ng applibation; Serial No. 183,405, filed; January 5, 1938, any other suitable electrically operated clutch: might be used in place thereof.

Although in the present disclosure it is prefertion actuates the levers 26 or 3!.I't'o impinge wire it may be d sira e when this device is us d. with-other. machines. to only stopthe operation he ange us member and not the en ir ma hine- S ch a modification is intended of course to come within the scope of the subjoihed j claims.

Although this safety device. has been shown.

' connected; to a. cigar machine, it. could. also, be

used with other machines having, dangerous parts to protect. an. operator from injury therefrom. 1

The inventionabove described. may be varied in construction. within the scope of the. claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the, invention is, but one of many concrete enibodiments-of the same; The, invention. therefore is not to be restricted to the precisedetailszot the. structure, shown and described.

The: outer.

leaf cutting device passing over said dieyataut wire strung parallel to thepath of travel of said cutting device; guard arms pivotally -mounted member; on said cutting device; meansassociated with said guard arms normally av'oidingcontact with said wire, so constructed-and 'arrangd' as to im-"- pinge said wire when actuated-by said'guard arms and thereby' shorten the outstretched length of said wire; and a circuit completing and breaking means associated with said wire for" incapacitating the cigar machine-when the -outshortenedby saidstretched length of said wire is impinging'means. l

2;In a cigar machine, a travelingpotentially dangerous member; an outstretched wire ning substantially parallel to the path of'travel of said potentially dangerous 'member;'-Jguard means connected to and traveling with said potentially dangerous member} said guardmea'ns being constructed andar'ranged to engage with? said Wire when obstruction i n"l7hp ath 0f travel of said member encounters said guard means; and means "a'ctuatedfby 'said: wire for bringing the traveling'inovenient' of said "member toahalt' r. .H

3. In a 'cigarrriachina'a travelingpotentially dangerous member, an "outstretched wire running substantially parallelto the "path of travel of said potentially dangerous member, guard element's pivotally mounted ons'aid member and positionedto "engage with any foreign obstru'c tion'inthe pathof travel of said member; "dis torting' means connected to said elements and adapted to normally clear said wire and to dis-" tort the same when'said elements engage with an obstruction in the path of travel of said potentially dangerous member, and means actuated by the distortion of said wire for stopping the travel of said potentially dangerous member.

4. In a cigar machine, a die, a device having cutting rollers traveling over said die, a thin flexible element stretched adjacent to said device, uard mechanism connected to said device and positioned to engage with any foreign obstruction in the path of travel of said device, means associated with said guard mechanism for shortening the outstretched length of said thin flexible element when said guard mechanism engages with a foreign obstruction in its path of travel, and means actuated by said shortening to bring said cutting rollers to a halt.

5. A safety device comprising, a taut outstretched wire, machine stopping mechanism associated with one end of said Wire adapted and arranged to stop said machine when said wire is actuated, a potentially dangerous member moving toward and away from a predetermined position and operating in the vicinity of said wire, and operating means connected to said member and movable toward and away from said predetermined position with said member and adapted to engage with and actuate said wire when an obstruction is encountered by said operating means while the latter is moving either toward or away from said predetermined position.

6. In a cigar machine, a safety device comprising, a table, a dangerous member operating over said table, a taut outstretched wire positioned adjacent to the path of travel of said dangerous member, means positioned at one end of said wire and adapted to be actuated by the shortening of the outstretched length of said wire to bring the operation of said dangerous gages an obstructionin'the'path of travel of said 7. In a cigar machine, a'safety device comprising, a taut outstretched A wire, machine stopping mechanism associated with one'end of ':said wire adapted and arranged to stop said machine when said wire is actuated, a potentially dangerous member operating in the vicinity of said wire, operatingmeans connected to said member and adapted to engage with and actuate said wire when an obstruction is encountered by said operating means, andmeans for maintaining the operation of said dangerous member in an incapacitated state until restarted under the volitional control of the operator of the machinelii 1 T. w I

8.: In a cigar machine, a safety devicecomprising, a' traveling potentially dangerous member, -a wire stretched adjacent the path of travel of said member, guard elements mounted in front of and inrear of said'member adapted'and arranged to engage with'said wire 'when'one of said guard arms engages with an obstruction in the pathof travel of said dangerous member, and electric circuit completing'an'dbreaking mechanism associated'with'said wirefor' rendering the driving mechanism of s'a'iddangerous member inoperative'wheri said wir'e'isactuated by said guard armsii f v,

9. In a cigar. machine, 'a safe'ty devicecomprising, a traveling potentially dangerous member; a,.:"'wirejstretched .adjacent the path of' travel of said member {guardelements mounted in front'of and in rear of saidmemberl'adapted'and arranged to engage with said wire when one of said guard arms engages with an obstruction in the path of travel of said dangerous member; and electric circuit completing and breaking mechanism associated with said wire for rendering the driving mechanism of said dangerous member inoperative when said wire is actuated by said guard arms, said electric circuit completing and breaking mechanism being constructed and arranged to maintain the driving mechanism in an inoperative condition when once stopped until restarted by the operator.

10. A safety device comprising, an outstretched wire; a guard lever connected to a potentially dangerous member for travel therewith, said lever being arranged to actuate said wire when an obstruction in the path of travel of said dangerous member engages with said guard lever; and circuit breaking and completing means associated with said wire for operating a magnetic clutch when said wire is actuated by said guard lever, said magnetic clutch being interposed in the driving mechanism operating said dangerous member for incapacitating the same.

11. A safety device suitable for such a machine as a cigar making machine having a table and a dangerous moving member operating over said table comprising, an outstretched wire, feeler elements traveling with said moving member positioned to engage with "an obstruction in the path of travel of said moving member and adapted to actuate said wire as a result of said engagement, and an electric circuit completing and breaking device associated with said wire for actuating a clutch interposed in the mechanism operating said dangerous moving member, to stop the movement of the same.

12. In a cigar machine, a traveling potentially an e o s member; a; motor operating said; mahine and; angerous member :1 a, magne ic; clut h interpos d. in, the driv connecting said motor o said m h ne; an outstretched wirestretched. adjacent to the path of travel of said potentially dangerous member; pivoted? guard arms connected tas idipotentially" dan erous member, said: arms; being constructed and; arranged to. en a e guard member for detecting foreign. objects in the path'of travel of said dangerous member, said guard'being constructed and arranged" to actuate said wire when an obstruction is detected; a circuit completing and breaking mechanism associated with one end of'said wire for receiving operating movement: from said wire each time said wire is actuated;; and a machine stopping device interposed inan electrical circuit connected to said circuit completing and breakingmechanism for: bringing the machine to v,a stop when said circuit completing and breaking mechanism is operated by said Wire.

14. In a cigar machine having: a potentially dangerous member and a drive for operating said machine. and member; a'safetydevice compris-' ing; an outstretched wire; stretched adjacent to the path of travel of said potenti lly dangerous member; movable guard members mounted on said;travelin rpot ntial y anse smember, s id guard members being, constr c d. and arrang d to shorten the outstretched length of said wire when an obstruction, is encountered inthe. path of travel of said dangerous, member; an electrically operated clutchinterposed in said drive;

an electrical circuit for operating said clutch to;

drive and stop said machine; circuit completing and breaking; mechanism connected-to said cirwit and operated by the shortening; of said wire to. cause said clutch to engage, to drive said machine and toca-use-said clutch t.o\b.e, disengaged to bring the machine to a stop when an obstrucrtion is encountered in the; path of travel. o v Said dangerous member.

1-5. In a cigar machine having a travelingv p0.-

tentially dangerous, member and a drive for'oper- 'ating said machine and member av safety device comprising, an outstretched wirepositioned adjacent to the pathoi; travelof said potentially dangerous member, guard elements connected to said member for shortening the outstretched length, ofsaid wire when an obstruction is encountered in. the; path oi travel of said dangerous member, an electrically controlled clutch main: tained normally in. engaged position: interposed in'said drive ,for inQapacitating said machine when the outstretched; length of said wire; is

shortened, an electrical switch positioned at one end of said outstretched wire andgconstructed' and arranged to be actuated by the shortening of said outstretched wire, and an electrical, circuit connecting said switch; with: said clutch mechanism.

CLIFFORD liz. RANDOLPH. 

